Lats exercise
High Row (Machine)How to do it, with form in numbers
- Main muscles
- Lats, Upper back
- Also works
- Biceps, Rear delts
- Equipment
- Machine
- Level
- Beginner
How to do it
How do you do the High Row?
- Set the seat and thigh pad so your legs are locked in and you can just reach the handles.
- Grip the handles with your arms straight above and in front of you.
- Pull the handles down and back to your chest, elbows driving towards your hips.
- Squeeze your shoulder blades down for a second.
- Let your arms rise slowly back to a full stretch.
Cues
- Elbows down to your back pockets.
- Chest up, trunk still.
- Shoulders down, away from your ears.
Common mistakes
- Leaning back to pull: keep your trunk still and lighten the load.
- Shrugging at the bottom: set your shoulders down first.
- Short reps: let your arms reach all the way up each time.
Form in detail
What does good form look like?
Starting position
Sit facing the machine. Set the seat and thigh pad so the thighs are locked under the pad and the arms are fully stretched when you reach the handles. Feet flat on the floor, knees about 90°. Overhand grip on the handles (fixed angle on most models), hands about 1.3 × shoulder width, wrists straight. Sit tall with a neutral spine.
The movement
Both arms move together and mirror each other. Only the arms and shoulder blades move; the trunk, thighs and head stay still.
End position
Handles in front of the outer chest, just below shoulder height. Elbows driven down and back to the sides, behind the trunk line by about 20° and about 35° out from the sides (front view). Elbow flexion about 125°. Shoulder blades drawn down and together. Trunk angle unchanged. Pause 1 s.
Tempo
Pull 1 s / squeeze 1 s / return 2.5 s, then 0.3 s at the stretch.
Form in numbers
What are the angles and distances?
| Measure | Target | Good range | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grip width | 1.3 × shoulder width | 1.1–1.5 × (machine-fixed) | |
| Knee flexion | 90° | 80–100° | |
| Trunk angle from vertical | 10° forward | 0–20° forward, constant | |
| Elbow flexion at the start | 5° | 0–10° | |
| Handle height at the end | just below the shoulder | upper chest to shoulder |
The targets our 3D demo was built to, from the references below. Bodies differ, so treat the ranges as a guide for your own build.
For coaches
Use this demo in your clients’ programs
The High Row is in Trainaq’s exercise library. Add it to a workout, and your client sees this demo in the free Trainaq app above the sets they log.
